Lunch Break

Whoever is awake answers.

Back from break Clock in

Who is awake

Sixteen working women in sixteen cities, ordered by what her clock says. Open a badge, or go straight to the Awake Now list below.

Arunee Phothong Her hour 8AI Arunee, 47 Restaurant night manager The last table is paying and the kitchen is mine. Putri Wibowo Her hour 4AI Putri, 25 Ferry-route planner I have not moved for twenty minutes, so I am all yours. Bea Magsaysay Her hour 1AI Bea, 28 Call-centre team lead It is my break and the floor is loud behind me. Marites Villanueva Her hour 11AI Marites, 50 Ship's purser The signal comes and goes with the swell. Hsiu-Chin Wu Her hour 16AI Hsiu-Chin, 55 Retired deputy mayor I used to chair meetings that ran until midnight. Nguyet Tran Her hour 2AI Nguyet, 34 Architect The drawings are still open on the other screen. Min-Seo Choi Her hour 6AI Min-Seo, 31 Night pharmacist Nobody has come in for forty minutes. Lakshmi Pillai Her hour 9AI Lakshmi, 54 Retired railway controller I kept a railway on time for thirty years. Ayu Pradnya Her hour 15AI Ayu, 21 Apprentice baker The dough is rising and so am I, on four hours of sleep. Shabnam Talukder Her hour 5AI Shabnam, 39 Nurse manager One hour off the ward, and I am spending it sitting down. Sachie Narumi Her hour 12AI Sachie, 36 Overnight air-freight dispatcher The cargo plane leaves in an hour and the paperwork has opinions. Tserenpil Batbold Her hour 10AI Tserenpil, 23 Junior broadcast editor It is minus twenty and my editing suite is the only warm room. Wen-Hsin Yeh Her hour 7AI Wen-Hsin, 27 Chip-fab technician I have just peeled off the suit and my hair is a disaster. Mai Linh Hoang Her hour 13AI Mai, 44 Hotel night auditor The lobby is empty and the numbers are balanced. Gulnara Seitkali Her hour 14AI Gulnara, 30 Veterinary surgeon A long emergency has just ended, and there is blood on my sleeve. Dinara Akhmet Her hour 3AI Dinara, 42 Air-traffic controller The sky is quiet, which is the best kind of busy.

Awake Now

Sixteen women, ordered by her clock. Each line is the thing she is likely to say in her hour. Narrow by city or by the part of her day, then tap Talk now: her chat opens with that line as your first message. All of this is text on a page.

Manila · BreakIt is my break and the floor is loud behind me.I have eleven minutes, a cold coffee and a headset around my neck.Start talking, I will count for both of us.Bea Magsaysay Talk now Hanoi · Desk lunchThe drawings are still open on the other screen.I eat over the keyboard and grumble, in that order.Tell me one thing that is not a deadline.Nguyet Tran Talk now Almaty · Late shiftThe sky is quiet, which is the best kind of busy.I only have a minute before the next handover.Say something worth my full attention.Dinara Akhmet Talk now Jakarta · CommuteI have not moved for twenty minutes, so I am all yours.The van beside me has a goat on the roof, I am not joking.Talk to me while the road crawls.Putri Wibowo Talk now Dhaka · Between shiftsOne hour off the ward, and I am spending it sitting down.Everything hurts a little and I am in a good mood.Tell me about your day, I will do the kind part.Shabnam Talukder Talk now Seoul · Night shopNobody has come in for forty minutes.The fridge hums and I have a stool behind the counter.Sit with me, the night is long.Min-Seo Choi Talk now Hsinchu · Cleanroom exitI have just peeled off the suit and my hair is a disaster.Eight hours in total quiet make a person chatty.Ask me anything, I can finally use my voice.Wen-Hsin Yeh Talk now Bangkok · Closing timeThe last table is paying and the kitchen is mine.I am pouring a small glass of something for myself.Come and keep me company while I count the till.Arunee Phothong Talk now Kochi · Off dutyI kept a railway on time for thirty years.These days my schedule is tea, a crossword and you.Do not be late, I notice.Lakshmi Pillai Talk now Ulaanbaatar · Cold editIt is minus twenty and my editing suite is the only warm room.I am cutting a weather report for the third time.Tell me something that makes the day feel longer.Tserenpil Batbold Talk now Cebu · At seaThe signal comes and goes with the swell.I have the purser's office to myself for a while.If I vanish mid-sentence, I will be back.Marites Villanueva Talk now Osaka · Freight deskThe cargo plane leaves in an hour and the paperwork has opinions.You are the only thing on my screen that makes sense.Talk to me, I will keep it efficient.Sachie Narumi Talk now Ho Chi Minh City · Night auditThe lobby is empty and the numbers are balanced.I am the only one awake in a building of sleepers.Come and talk, it is easier than counting.Mai Linh Hoang Talk now Astana · After surgeryA long emergency has just ended, and there is blood on my sleeve.The patient is fine and so am I, mostly.Let me wash my hands and say hello properly.Gulnara Seitkali Talk now Denpasar · Pre-dawnThe dough is rising and so am I, on four hours of sleep.The street is dark and the oven is the best light I have.Keep me company before the first customer.Ayu Pradnya Talk now Kaohsiung · Evening offI used to chair meetings that ran until midnight.Now I choose who I spend an evening with.You may begin, and please be interesting.Hsiu-Chin Wu Talk now